Date of Completion

2016

Document Type

Honors College Thesis

Department

Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies

Thesis Type

Honors College, College of Arts and Science Honors

First Advisor

Paul Deslandes

Keywords

interracial marriage, gender, race, masculinization, feminization

Abstract

This study attempts to clarify how race and gender are both socially constructed categories, and mutually constituted in ways that promote White, heterosexual, patriarchal standards of masculinity and femininity. I argue throughout this paper that Black women are deemed less marriageable due in part to the fact that they have been masculinized throughout the history of the United States. Similarly, Asian men are deemed less marriageable due in part to the fact they have been feminized throughout the history of the United States. Through my research I hope to clarify the role that certain historical events played in the dual gendering of Asians as feminine and Blacks as masculine. I will also examine more contemporary media influences such as film and music, which continue to gender and marginalize Asian and Black bodies by perpetuating old myths and stereotypes today.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Download

Share

COinS